Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 Review

Introduction The Z270 platform has become the catalyst for Gigabyte to greatly expand the AORUS name into new a product area and rival other popular brands such as ASUS' ROG series. Even though it's still an early stage, the AORUS range is shaping up quite nicely and appears to be reserved for Gigabyte's higher-end offerings. In addition to the Gigabyte AORUS X270X-Gaming 7 which has an astounding array of features, the flagship motherboard entitled the Gigabyte AORUS X270X-Gaming 9 has even more special extras to speak of including an integrated EKWB G-Frost hybrid water block and Creative Sound Blaster certified ZxRi audio solution with Hi-Fi grade WIMA capacitors. Not only that, the motherboard has a dedicated RGB lighting pin header and spectacular illumination across the I/O cover, PCH, DRAM and power circuitry. On another note, the Gigabyte AORUS X270X-Gaming 7 comes with triple upgradable OP-AMPs and the Killer Doubleshot-X3 pro networking hardware. Connectivity-wise, there's support for dual U.2, M.2, SATA, Thunderbolt 3 and SATA Express. Unbelievably, the motherboard utilises a 22-phase VRM and manages to boost the PCI-E lanes to 32 which makes it a great choice for multi-GPU users. Despite this only being a small taste of the motherboard's full capabilities, it clearly demonstrates the huge leap in features compared to the Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 7. Given the immense specification, I wouldn't be surprised if Gigabyte manages to produce the most luxurious Z270 motherboard for today's launch by a considerable margin. Specifications Packaging and Accessories The motherboard box is based on an attractive orange and black colour scheme alongside the imposing AORUS emblem. In particular, the carbon-fibre styling and silver logo combine in a gorgeous manner and exude a professional quality. The packaging also contains details about the embedded EKWB water cooling support, RGB Fusion technology, VR credentials and storage options. On the rear section, the buyer is presented with a brief overview of the motherboard's lighting effects, audio chipset, cooling hardware and much more. The excellent macro images and clear text make it easy to understand each unique selling point even if you're not technically minded. The packaging has a flap which reveals a stunning snapshot the motherboard in all its glory. This creates a more enjoyable unboxing experience and raises your excitement as you gently unclip the packaging's lid. In terms of accessories, the motherboard is bundled with two velcro straps, cable labels, dust covers, G-Connector, six SATA cables, quick installation guide, door hanger, I/O Shield, Crossfire cable and user's guide. The I/O has a LED cable which connects to the motherboard and illuminates the rear panel. This is really handy when plugging in USB devices or headphones late at night. Not only that, the package includes M.2 screws, SLI bridges with different spacing, an LED accent strip, WiFi antenna, WiFi antenna retention cover, two thermistor cables, two RGB extension cables and a drivers/utilities disk. A Closer Look The Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 utilises the same colour scheme as the lower-end model which indicates the entire range has a recurring theme. Personally, I quite like the black and white shades and think they contrast rather nicely to form an elegant appearance. Also, the neutral design should appeal to a wide range of customers while ensuring the colours don't clash with various components. The EK water block adds a more rugged, industrial look and slots next to the large I/O cover. Furthermore, the stunning PCH is reminiscent of a sturdy shield from the medieval age. As expected, the motherboard employs the E-ATX form factor to accommodate every modern connectivity protocol and offer comprehensive multi-GPU support. Not only that, Gigabyte positioned eight hybrid fan headers around the motherboard which make it easy to install a large number of fans and water cooling pump. The fan headers automatically detect if the cooling device uses a PWM or voltage mode and configures the settings accordingly. Even more impressive, the fan headers can contend with high current fans up to 24W (2Ax12V). As a result, it's possible to use a Y-Splitter and control 3000RPM fans like the Noctua IndustrialPPCs without worrying about the power draw. The motherboard also has nine thermal sensors located at key points including the PCH, power delivery and audio segment. Using Gigabyte's revamped fan control software, you can monitor the thermal values and investigate any problems areas which need tuning. The motherboard utilises a 22-phase a power delivery equipped with 4th generation IR digital power controllers and 3rd generation PowerlRstage ICs featuring iSense technology. This provides a more precise current sensing accuracy and works its magic to evenly distribute the thermal loading between the PowerIRstage ICs. Essentially, this means the probability of overheating is vastly reduced resulting in a longer lifespan and better reliability. On another note, the motherboard has 10K-rated, low-ESR black capacitors with a higher thermal tolerance and longevity than traditional 5K alternatives. The product's 2X copper, fabric-glass PCB design revolves around a 0.70mm thickness which upholds a sufficient power trace paths between components to remove heat from the critical CPU area. Gigabyte's anti-sulphur resistor design is another stellar addition because it stops resisters from experiencing chemical change and shorting through a resistive Ru02/Glass layer. The motherboard's CPU socket is 15u gold plated which should stop the pins corroding over time and provides a better contact point. Interestingly, the Turbo B-Clock technology opens up the BCLK overclocking headroom with a new linear range adjustment between 90MHz and 500MHz. Subsequently, you can eke out your CPU's full potential and go beyond the previous 5% strap restriction. The EK G-Frost water block is an engineering marvel and has G1/4" threaded fittings to directly cool the VRMs using a custom loop. More specifically, the water block employs an aluminium casing with a large surface density which radiates heat into the air. Also, the copper tubing is milled from a copper block and transfers heat away from liquid passing through. Combining water and electricity isn't without risks and it's imperative to safeguard the motherboard from water damage. Thankfully, the premium water block has a specialised O-Ring design which offers peace-of-mind via a really secure fitting. The Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory at mammoth speeds of 4000MHz and beyond. Of course, the memory frequency and CPU overclock are intertwined so the stability at higher frequencies depends on the memory controller. The DIMM slots are finished with a stainless steel one-piece shielding which prevents slot damage, plate bending and ESD interference. Also, the memory slots contain LED strips which create the impression that light is pulsating around the individual modules. This is a wonderful effect and you can customise the motherboard's appearance based on your own personal preference. Given the 22-phase power delivery and other high-end circuitry, it's no surprise that the motherboard caters towards professional overclockers. In particular, the motherboard incorporates voltage points for the VPP_25V, VCCIO, VAXG, VCORE, VDIMM, DDRVTT, PCHIO and VSA. Furthermore, the reset, power and Clear_CMOS buttons help to quickly assess a particular overclock's stability and if it's posts beyond the BIOS. The OC button is another useful extra which instantly loads Gigabyte's optimised profile for your hardware. As the name suggests, the Eco button priorities power efficiency savings, although I doubt anyone will use it on a motherboard of this calibre. Initially, I was really confused by the dual post LED read-out and thought it could be four digits to display codes for the dual-BIOS. However, this doesn't make sense because you can only power one BIOS at any given time. Gigabyte confirmed this with me and said it's simply a move towards clear four digit codes. Another feature to mention is the replacement RGB strip which allows you to modify the pattern and create something really unique. The Creative ZxRi audio solution is a monumental improvement compared to Gigabyte's previous offerings and takes advantage of a dedicated quad-core audio processor and Burr-Brown 127dB DAC. Rather impressively, the audio chipset offers an uncompromised 192KHz/24-bit audio signal which legitimately rivals discrete audio cards. Additionally, no expense has been spared the motherboard includes high-end Nichicon fine gold capacitors which uphold a clear sound at high frequencies. The WIMA FKP2 capacitors are widely deployed in luxury Hi-Fi systems and have an illustrious reputation. After doing some research, I don't think there's another motherboard vendor which uses WIMA capacitors and this is something which makes Gigabyte's flagship unique. As previously mentioned, the Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 supports up to 4-way SLI and 4-way CrossfireX configurations. Furthermore, the PEX8747 chip boosts the total PCI-E lanes to 32 which results in a dual-card setup running at x16/x16 compared to the traditional x8/x8 arrangement. If you want to pair four GPUs together for some unknown reason, each card will run at x8 instead of x4. As a result, the motherboard is a wonderful choice for video work, benchmarking and high-end gaming, although multi-GPU support in games is terrible, and NVIDIA restricts gaming SLI support to 2 graphics card on the Pascal architecture. Unlike the majority of rival products on the market, all four PCI-E slots have stainless steel shielding which prevents against GPU droop and provides MEI protection. Gigabyte's design has extra anchor points and is 1.7 times stronger in shearing tests while the retention force is 3.2 times stronger. The double locking bracket adds another source of protection and ensures the slots can withstand a great deal of strain. The motherboard contains three upgradable OP-AMPs with each channel using the same PCB trace length. Additionally, the AMPs are reserved for tackling the front audio and left/right channels. The ability to change the OP-AMPs is most welcome and allows you to customise the audio characteristics. Connectivity-wise, the motherboard is astonishing and caters to heavy users with extreme storage demands. As you can see, the product includes six SATA 3 ports via the Z270 chipset and another two through an ASMedia ASM1061 controller. Furthermore, there's three SATA Express ports, two U.2 ports and two M.2 connectors. One of the M.2 connectors supports type 2242/2260/2280 while the other can work with type 2242/2260/2280/22110 devices. The large supply of fast NVMe storage options means you can reach unbelievable speeds paring an M.2 NVMe drive and two U.2 drives. The rear I/O houses a PS/2 combo port, five USB 3.1 Gen 1, two MMCX antennas, HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4, two Killer E2500 Gigabit LAN, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, five audio jacks and S/PDIF Out. Please note, the yellow coloured USB ports utilises a voltage compensator and dedicated power design which creates less noise. This comes in handy when using a USB DAC to reduce interference. The white coloured USB port allows you to perform a BIOS update without the memory or CPU installed! Gigabyte's RGB Fusion supports 16.8 million colours, 6 light zones and has 8 programmable sections. Not only that, you can attach LED strips directly to two pin headers and control the colours with the company's software suite which has the option to redefine the R/G/B signal. As you can see, the LED around the PCI-E section and really bright and the small hint of colour in the audio chipset's plastic cover is enough to dramatically alter the aesthetic. The lighting is embedded into the I/O cover, power delivery and directly onto the PCB. I absolutely adore the LED strip's pattern and think it helps the motherboard to stand out from the crowd. From a wider angle, it's evidently clear that the motherboard's illumination is a real treat and bright enough to change a system's appearance in a striking way. Testing & Methodology Here is the test bench used for all Z270 motherboard reviews: Hardware Motherboard varies by review CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K GPU: Gigabyte G1 Gaming GTX 980Ti 6GB GDDR5 RAM: Crucial Elite 16GB (2x8GB) 2666MHz Cooling: Thermaltake Water 3.0 AIO with Gelid GC-Extreme Case: Lian Li T80 Test Bench Storage Drives: Main storage: Toshiba OCZ VX500 500GB SATA, Test Devices: Toshiba OCZ VX500 500GB SATA , Toshiba OCZ RD400 512GB NVMe M.2 and Patriot SuperSonic Magnum 256GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive PSU: Be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 11 850W Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit Networking: ASUS RT-AC68U router Software SiSoft Sandra Engineer - available here WPrime - available here Cinebench - available here 3DMark - available here AIDA 64 Engineer - available here Latencymon - available here Rightmark Audio Analyser - available here Passmark - available here Memory For our memory tests, we use the built-in memory benchmarks in AIDA64 Engineer and SiSoft Sandra. For more details on each of the benchmarks please see here and here respectively. Storage To test the storage performance in our motherboard reviews we use AIDA's Disk Benchmark utility built into their AIDA64 Engineer Edition software package and run linear read and write tests. We run each of the benchmark tests on a SATA III, USB 3.0 and M.2 device. For SATA III testing we use a SanDisk Extreme Pro 240GB, for USB 3.0 testing we use the Supersonic Magnum 256 GB USB 3.0 flash drive and for M.2 testing we use Plextor's 256GB M.2 M6e SSD. The drives are always formatted before use. Networking For our networking tests we connect the test system up to our Intel Gigabit-enabled ASUS Rampage IV Extreme X79 motherboard test system through the ASUS RT-AC68U router and run our tests. We opted for this over a direct point-to-point connection because we wanted to simulate real-world performance. For our WiFi tests we do the same except we connect the test system to the ASUS RT-AC68U router via WiFi at a distance of 2 metres from the router. The testing is conducted using PassMark's Advanced Network Test detailed below. PassMark The PassMark Advanced Network Test (which is part of PerformanceTest) is designed to test the data transfer rate between two computers both of which must be running PerformanceTest. One of the computers must act as the server and will sit waiting for a connection. The other computer acts as a client. It connects to the server machine and sends data to it for the duration of the test. You can download a trial version of PerformanceTest from here. Power Usage To measure power consumption we, use a "killawatt" meter and measure the total system power draw at the wall. We run three different use-case scenarios for 5 minutes and take the average reading. RightMark Audio Analyser (RMAA) RMAA suite is designed for testing quality of analog and digital paths of any audio device. The results are obtained by playing and recording test signals passed through the tested audio path by means of frequency analysis algorithms. A more common mark is also provided for those unfamiliar with measured technical parameters. Available here. We run the RMAA test using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable connecting the line out to the line in to test the quality of the motherboard audio codec, not any external audio devices. We run the complete playback and recording test at default settings and then get RMAA to interpret the results giving the below outputs. We sync the playback and recording audio devices to the same setting as the test for accurate results. DPC DPC is a Windows tool that analyses the capabilities of a computer system to handle real-time data streams properly. It may help to find the cause for interruptions in real-time audio and video streams, also known as drop-outs. This software is available for download free here. wPrime wPrime is a leading multithreaded benchmark for x86 processors that tests your processor performance by calculating square roots with a recursive call of Newton's method for estimating functions. wPrime is a free utility that is available for download here. Cinebench R15 Cinebench is a widely respected benchmark for testing the performance of x86 CPUs. The program allows you to test single and multi-threaded performance as well as GPU performance by rendering with Open GL. Download here. 3D Mark The new 3DMark includes everything you need to benchmark your hardware. With three all new tests you can bench everything from smartphones and tablets to notebooks and home PCs, to the latest high-end, multi-GPU gaming desktops. Download here. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is an action role-playing stealth video game developed by Eidos Montreal and published by Square Enix. Set in a cyberpunk-themed dystopian world in 2029, two years after the events of Human Revolution, Mankind Divided features the return of Adam Jensen from the previous game, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, with new technology and body augmentations. Rise of the Tomb Raider Rise of the Tomb Raider is a third-person action-adventure game that features similar gameplay found in 2013's Tomb Raider. Players control Lara Croft through various environments, battling enemies, and completing puzzle-platforming sections while using improvised weapons and gadgets in order to progress through the story. The game is run on the Very High preset with FXAA enabled. Please note, the DirectX 12 API has been selected and an average from 3 benchmark runs is taken for the final result. BIOS and Overclocking Gigabyte’s revised BIOS layout is based on a simplistic design and clean aesthetic which makes navigation a simple task. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the BIOS, it’s a quick process to adjust to the logical arrangement. Additionally, the black background and white font combine rather well and the pin sharp text can be read from numerous angles. This is handy if you’re monitoring voltage changes while visually inspecting the motherboard. Overall, I’m really impressed with the BIOS’ functionality and modern style. It’s possible to cycle between the Easy Mode which lists essential readings on a single page and Advanced Mode for those who want to make more substantial changes. The Easy Mode is really useful for beginners who feel a little overwhelmed by the number of settings on offer and prevents them from making errors. As you can see, the Easy Mode provides details on the BIOS version, storage configuration, and CPU thermals. On the M.I.T page, you can access a large array of menus to adjust voltages, the CPU frequency and even allow the motherboard to automatically configure the fans based on thermal values. The BIOS automatically configures the CPU's base clock to 100MHz but this can be changed if you want to push the performance further. Of course, most users will simply want to leave this on the default setting and alter the multiplier. By default, this is set to 42, the i7-7700K's base frequency. Not only that, the BIOS has a number of pre-defined profiles for various processors and helps those without the overclocking expertise to run the CPU at a higher frequency. However, I’d recommend investing the time and finding out what the sample you have is capable of. Here we can see the memory tab which allows you to enable the DIMM’s XMP profile and manually enter the operational speed. Also, the memory timings options are useful if you want to tighten the standard timings to achieve better latency figures. The CPU voltage menu is packed with an assortment of variables including the Vcore, VCCIO and much more. This provides hardware enthusiasts with all the tools to finely tune the CPU and reach a stable voltage for the inputted multiplier. While the number of options may seem a little confusing, the average user can focus on Vcore and ignore other elements quite easily. Rather impressively, the memory voltage section contains a comprehensive range of settings to modify the individual channel voltages. The System Information tab outline key details about your PC such as the model name, BIOS version, and BIOS ID. The BIOS tab can be deployed to change the boot priority, configure an administrator password and choose between Legacy/UEFI modes. Here we can see the Peripherals menu which houses numerous options to select the primary display adapter, turn the RGB Fusion lighting on or off, enable/disable the onboard LAN controller and more. Honestly, you shouldn’t really need to mess with any of these settings as the default configuration is perfectly fine for the average user. Unless you have a high level of expertise, the Chipset section is to be avoided, but it’s still crammed packed full of useful features for those who enjoy tweaking every possible aspect of their system. Next up is the Power tab which can be deployed to enable or disable Platform Power Management, adjust the AC BACK mode and much more. Once again, you probably won’t be spending much time on this page. On the final page, you can save any changes, restore optimal defaults, adjust the default boot priority and load/save any overclocking profiles. Gigabyte’s Smart Fan 5 utility displays the current thermal readings and RPM values in a clear manner. Additionally, it’s possible to monitor the RPM curves and choose between normal, silent and full speed presets. Not only that, the manual setting is a wonderful addition which allows you to create your own curve based on temperatures. The graphic is really handy and makes custom fan graphs a simple task. Also, the astounding number of thermal readings helps to diagnose any problem areas. Updating the BIOS directly shouldn't take too long and the end-user is walked through the process via clear instructions and captivating images. All you have to do is make sure the flash drive is formatted to the correct FAT32 format and click update BIOS. Overclocking Overclocking the i7-7770K was a ridiculously simple task thanks to the motherboard's onboard buttons, sensors and voltage points. Despite having the most powerful VRM design by far, the CPU wouldn't break the 5.1GHz mark or accept BCLK adjustments. Perhaps, the situation will improve in time and there might be some headroom outside of multiplier overclocking. It's a shame but the overclock is inhibited by the CPU itself and not the motherboard. Software Overview Gigabyte has completely overhauled the App Center’s GUI which now uses a larger square window instead of being positioned on the system tray. While it takes up more desktop real estate, it’s a visually appealing design and a joy to use. The previous concoction featured huge icons and an overly bright colour scheme. This time, it’s a neutral main menu which evokes a sense of professionalism. The @BIOS utility displays the current BIOS details and allows you to update to the latest version via a server or downloaded file. Gigabyte’s EasyTune software offers similar functionality to the BIOS and allows you to overclock the CPU, memory and make other essential changes. The first page includes three profiles which configure the system based on your specific requirements or you can let the application analyse the thermals and cooling hardware to find a suitable frequency. Also, notice the useful information near the bottom which outlines your system’s key specification. On the advanced tab, you can manually set the BCLK, multiplier per core, CPU voltage, VCCIO and a modify a whole host of complex settings. The Advanced DDR OC portion allows you to input the memory frequency, enable the XMP profile and make changes to the default timings. Next up is the Advanced Power section which can be used to adjust the Vcore loadline calibration and VAXG loadline. As its name suggests, Gigabyte’s Easy RAID utility makes setting up a RAID array ridiculously simple due to the user-friendly interface. Now, consumers don’t have to navigate through a command line or system outside of Windows to configure a RAID setup and enjoy huge sequential rates across multiple drives. The Fast Boot software has the option to quickly boot into Windows or directly enter the BIOS. Please note, the Ultra Fast setting will make it challenging to press the BIOS key in time due to the rapid boot times on NMVe storage devices. Here we can see the System Information Viewer which relays details on the CPU’s current parameters and its core specification. Furthermore, the menu contains information about the motherboard version and memory’s SPD. The System Information Viewer includes different fan profiles which prioritise raw performance, silent running or a combination of the two. In addition to the automatic fan configuration, it’s possible to create a custom curve by balancing thermal loads and the rate of CPU utilisation. This offers great flexibility for those users who prefer a more gentle or aggressive fan curve. If you’re concerned about your system exceeding a certain thermal threshold and potentially degrading the CPU’s lifespan, it’s quite easy to configure alerts when specific voltages are reached. The software’s record function is a great way of monitoring voltages, load temperatures and other essential values throughout idle and heavy usage scenarios. Gigabyte’s Smart Backup is fairly self-explanatory and has the ability to rescue a drive, backup essential files or recover your PC from a backup image created ever hour. In theory, this should protect your data without the need to perform laborious manual backups. The Smart TimeLock can restrict PC access for a particular interval or indefinitely to ensure other PC users aren’t spending too much time browsing the internet unsupervised. Here we can see the Smart Keyboard application which can be used to create macros, shortcuts and other commands. The V-Tuner is a graphics card overclocking tool which contains all the features you need in a compact user interface. Saying that, it’s very basic and you’re better off using something like MSI Afterburner to monitor overclocked performance. Gigabyte has developed a brand new RGB lighting tool which allows you to select from an array of transitional effects including pulse, colour cycle, double flash, wave and even sync the lighting to a piece of music. It's also possible to use the full RGB spectrum as a way of observing temperatures. On another note, the RGB Fusion software has an advanced mode to customise different sections of the motherboard and modify the colour, time interval and other attributes. The ability to have a different aesthetic for the I/O cover, PCH, memory slots and power circuitry is impressive and ensures the motherboard's appearance can be moulded to an individual's preferences. CPU & GPU Performance Cinebench During the Cinebench R15 benchmark, the motherboard performed brilliantly and obtained the highest stock scores. Once overclocked, the performance was superb and the motherboard almost retained the top spot. WPrime Here we can see the motherboard excels and outputted a marvellous set of results in both stock and overclocked tests. SiSoft Sandra Once again, the motherboard's performance is exemplary and finishes ahead of the all the rival Z270 offerings. This also applies to the overclocked assessment and the 5.1GHz figure helps to forge ahead of 5.0GHz results. 3DMark In 3DMark Fire Strike, the Gigabyte Z270X-Gaming 9 attains a good score and just edges the ASUS MAXIMUS IX HERO. After the overclock was applied, the motherboard rises up through the field in the top spot. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided The motherboard selection doesn't make a huge difference in games as reflected by the data below. Nevertheless, it's clear that the Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 is a good fit for high-end graphics hardware. Rise of the Tomb Raider On a similar note, the performance throughout the Rise of the Tomb Raider benchmark is excellent. Memory Performance AIDA64 Engineer As you can see, the motherboard outputs very consistent read, write and copy figures. While it's not the fastest option out there, the performance remains within a close proximity of the top results. SiSoft Sandra The motherboard's memory bandwidth continues to be really solid and higher than a large portion of its closest rivals. Combined Latency Test The motherboard's memory latency is decent, although there is some room for improvement. Storage Performance Linear Read The Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 maintains a wonderful M.2 read rate and doesn't suffer from large dips. Additionally, the SATA read speeds were good but the USB 3.0 performance could be slightly better. Linear Write When running the linear write tests, the motherboard is able to deliver a stellar M.2 rate. Unfortunately, the SATA performance is a little underwhelming and towards the lower end. The USB 3.0 write speeds were the highest out of all the Z270 products. Networking Performance Passmark Performance Test 8 - Ethernet The Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9's Killer E2500 chip couldn't contend with other motherboards employing the Intel i219V. Despite this, the UDP and TDP results are still pretty good. Passmark Performance Test 8 - WiFi Unfortunately, the WiFi data had some abnormalities and I'm not confident with the final figures being reflective of the actual throughput. Therefore, I've decided to omit the WiFi results and conduct further testing after investigating the issue more with new drivers. Passmark Performance Test 8 - CPU Work Load The motherboard's networking CPU utilisation reaches 3 percent during TCP testing and 2 percent when utilising UDP. Audio Performance In a similar vein to the Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 7, the audio performance is astounding, especially at higher bit-rates. More specifically, the audio chipset is able to deliver a wonderful frequency response and impressive dynamic range. Also, the stereo crosstalk, dB and THD, % is magnificent and a huge improvement compared to many previous generation motherboards. 16 Bit, 44KHz (DVD Quality) 16 Bit, 96KHz (Studio Quality) 24 Bit, 96KHz (Studio Quality) DPC Audio Latency Analyser The motherboard's audio latency might not be the lowest figure but it's still a good showing nonetheless. Power Consumption Sadly, the motherboard's total system power draw is higher than many of its rivals. Final Thoughts Pricing Unfortunately, there's been a complete lack of information regarding the Z270 motherboards and their retail prices. As a result, it's impossible to conduct a fair comparison between numerous products and assess the value proposition. Rest assured, once the full Z270 range is available to purchase, I'll be adding the appropriate links and revisiting the pricing analysis. According to my sources, it's likely vendors will add approximately £10-£30 compared to the previous generation. However, this doesn't help matters when a company unveils something completely new and the predecessor can't be researched to gauge a pricing estimate. Honestly, I'd expect more details to emerge during CES when PR contacts return from the holiday break. Overview The Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 evokes a luxurious feel due to the beautifully balanced white and black colour scheme. This neutral infusion shouldn't clash with a wide range of components and caters towards individuals with different visual preferences. The large, imposing I/O cover contrasts with the EK G-Frost water block to form an eye-catching appearance. Not only that, the PCH is moulded into the shape of a shield which sports the AORUS emblem. This is a gorgeous effect and exemplifies the motherboard's hardened, resilient nature. Additionally, the stainless steel metal shielding surrounding the DIMM slots and PCI-E x16 slots continues this theme. Unlike many other products, all of the PCI-E x16 are shielded to combat EMI. This decision indicates Gigabyte is expecting the motherboard to appeal to those employing more than two GPUs. Of course, you're not restricted by the default colour scheme and it's possible to customise almost every section of the motherboard through RGB illumination. Gigabyte's RGB Fusion technology spans across the DIMM slots, PCH, power circuitry and much more. The colours are extremely vivid and inject a more spectacular tone to the motherboard's subtle design. Furthermore, the end-user can attach RGB LED strips and control them using Gigabyte's software suite. On another note, the motherboard incorporates eight hybrid fan headers with full DC/PWM switching. In tandem with the new fan calibration, it's remarkably simple to find a suitable balance between temperatures and the noise output. There are even nine thermal sensors to determine the motherboard's health and pinpoint any problems. As expected for a premium motherboard, Gigabyte deployed the highest quality components in the form of a 22-phase power delivery with 4th generation IR digital power controls and 3rd generation PowerRstage ICs utilising iSense technology. The motherboard takes advantage of 10K low-ESR capacitors and a 2X copper fabric-glass PCB. Also, the anti-sulphur resistors prevent shorts through a resistive Ru02/Glass layer. The 15u gold plated socket provides extra protection against corrosion. The company's Turbo B-Clock technology allows you to access a greater BCLK range between 90 and 500MHz. Interestingly, Gigabyte incorporated various buttons, voltage points and a four digit post code to aid overclocking aficionados. The post code is a little bizarre at first if you're used to the traditional two digit method but it's certainly easier to read from a distance. The motherboard's audio solution is absolutely staggering and revolves around a quad-core processor and Burr-Brown 127dB DAC. Additionally, the Creative ZxRi delivers a true 192KHz/24-bit audio signal which provides a sensational listening experience. Not only that, the motherboard has WIMA FKP2 capacitors which are usually reserved for high-end audio equipment. That's not all because the motherboard comes with three upgradable OM-AMPs which allow you to modify the audio's characteristics. During the testing phase, the audio performance was exemplary and fared even better at higher bit-rates. Another great asset is the motherboard's support for 4-way SLI and CrossfireX configurations via the PEX8747 chip. This chip boosts the PCI-E lanes to 32 and enables dual GPU setups to run at x16/x16. However, there shouldn't be a performance improvement compared to x8/x8. Connectivity-wise, the motherboard has two U.2 ports, two M.2, six SATA ports, three SATA Express, Thunderbolt 3, five USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A and USB 3.1 Type-A Gen 2. Therefore, it's easy to merge various high-end storage devices together and achieve unbelievable speeds. Gigabyte's BIOS has an intuitive user-interface and includes two modes for users of varying skills. This makes the BIOS full of features while maintaining an accessible feel. When it comes to performance, the motherboard earns its place as a flagship product and consistently finishes near the top. Of course, the Z270 motherboard selection isn't a huge factor as all the options released today perform within a small percentage of each other. Nevertheless, a pattern emerges and the Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 produces in each key benchmarking category. Pros Accommodates 4-way SLI/CrossfireX configurations Attractive design Dual BIOS Dual Killer E2500 networking Eight hybrid fan headers with DC/PWM switching Excellent performance in a wide range of tasks Intuitive BIOS layout Loads of onboard overclocking tools Mammoth 22-phase power delivery PEX8747 chip boosts PCI-E lanes to 32 Premium EK G-Frost water block with G1/4" threads Stainless Steel metal shielding Stunning RGB lighting Supports dual M.2, U.2, SATA Express, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1 Three upgradable OP-AMPs WIMA FKP2 capacitors Wonderful audio performance Cons Highest Z270 power consumption "The Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 has been engineered to the highest standard without any compromises and includes a features list which never ceases to amaze. As a result, it's worthy of being the company's flagship product and the audio solution alone is enough to make it a viable consideration for high-end customers." Gigabyte AORUS Z270X-Gaming 9 LGA1151 Motherboard Review Thank you Gigabyte for providing us with this sample.